Judas
- January 18, 2017
- Studio48
Get on Steam"Judas" is a psychological horror game with a gloomy, story-rich atmosphere and immersive audio experience. The supernatural 'inhabitants' are determined to keep you from leaving, and meddling with the past may have dire consequences. Intense tension awaits as you uncover the dark secrets hidden within.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a decent atmosphere and some effective scares, making it enjoyable for fans of indie horror.
- It features straightforward puzzles that can be engaging, especially for those who appreciate a walking simulator style.
- Some players found it entertaining and worth trying, especially at a lower price point.
- The game is very short, lasting only about 30 minutes, which many players feel is not worth the price.
- There are significant issues with navigation, sound design, and translation, leading to a frustrating experience.
- The overall execution feels low-budget and poorly polished, with many mechanics and puzzles lacking refinement.
- story18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely criticized for being poorly constructed and nonsensical, with many noting severe issues with English translation that detract from the experience. While some players found the story to unfold through puzzle-solving, it is generally described as thin and lacking depth, often resorting to standard indie horror tropes. Overall, the narrative fails to engage, leaving players feeling that it is either non-existent or difficult to comprehend.
“The story slowly unfolds as you solve small puzzles and examine things in the apartment.”
“Aside from those problems, the spooks were decent, and the story was solid.”
“The story, although sub-par, has rather grim subject matter.”
“The story is nonsensical and contains some of the worst English translation I've ever seen.”
“The story doesn't exist, or if it does, I didn't understand it because of how badly translated the game is.”
“Story element is not really existent.”
- music10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been criticized for relying heavily on stock horror sounds and looping soundtracks that feel out of place, often resembling a Halloween-themed audio backdrop. While some sound effects contribute to a tense atmosphere, many reviewers find the use of contextless audio tropes to be cheap and detracting from the overall experience. Additionally, there are mentions of unexpected and incongruous elements, such as the potential inclusion of the Sailor Moon theme, further highlighting the soundtrack's lack of cohesion.
“The soundtrack is a loop of contextless horror tropes (doors creaking, a baby crying, a woman screaming, a man being angry, a cat meowing angrily, a fire); sometimes it syncs up and is quite atmospheric, but mostly it just feels cheap for a game that bills itself as atmospheric to use contextless audio.”
“Rather than opting for creepy background music, the developer has used a series of sound effects such as screams, doors opening and slamming shut, and other eerie sounds to try to create a tense atmosphere.”
“- The soundtrack is a loop of contextless horror tropes (doors creaking, a baby crying, a woman screaming, a man being angry, a cat meowing angrily, a fire). Sometimes it syncs up and is quite atmospheric, but mostly it just feels cheap for a game that bills itself as atmospheric to use contextless audio.”
“Stock horror sounds and music felt a little out of place; like a looping soundtrack I would use on Halloween, and I think I heard the Sailor Moon theme song play somewhere in there for no reason, but I could be imagining it.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is primarily built through a variety of sound effects, such as screams and creaking doors, which some players find effective in creating tension, while others criticize the use of contextless audio as feeling cheap. Despite mixed opinions on the soundtrack, many agree that the game successfully delivers a compelling atmosphere, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of indie horror. Overall, it strikes a balance between engaging sound design and traditional horror elements, appealing to those who appreciate atmospheric adventure games.
“Rather than opting for creepy background music, the developer has used a series of sound effects such as screams, doors opening and slamming shut, and other eerie sounds to create a tense atmosphere.”
“Great atmosphere.”
“A nice little indie horror; don't expect it to be the new Outlast or something like that. It's an indie horror game, but it works well, has some good puzzles, and a nice atmosphere. Worth a try if you are a horror fan.”
“Rather than opting for creepy background music, the developer has used a series of sound effects such as screams, doors opening and slamming shut, and other eerie sounds to try to create a tense atmosphere.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is largely confined to a small apartment, focusing on puzzle-solving to escape and uncover a dark narrative, but it suffers from poor execution and lack of polish. Many players find the mechanics frustrating and feel the game is a collection of incomplete ideas, making it hard to recommend, except perhaps to those interested in its shortcomings. Overall, the experience is marred by control issues and inconsistent design elements.
“I don't recommend it for most people, I half recommend it for those who are diehards for seeing where a game can just barely fail at pretty much every aspect of control and puzzle mechanics, sound design; the total package, it gave me the weirdest sense that it had effort behind all of it and it just wasn't playtested by somebody easily annoyed by this sort of stuff like me.”
“I don't recommend it for most people; I half recommend it for those who are diehards for seeing where a game can just barely fail at pretty much every aspect of control and puzzle mechanics, sound design. The total package gave me the weirdest sense that it had effort behind all of it, yet it just wasn't playtested by someone easily annoyed by this sort of stuff like me.”
“A few places in this game, like with the tab for tasks and some objects having animations while others don't, it feels like a game of half-completed ideas and mechanics.”
“About 95% of the gameplay takes place inside of a small apartment location, where the player is tasked with solving puzzles in order to both escape and figure out the horrific events that unfolded within.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally considered low quality, reflecting the game's budget constraints, with noticeable glitches present. However, many players feel that these visual shortcomings do not significantly detract from the overall gaming experience.
“Lots of little graphics glitches.”
“The graphics weren't great but it doesn't take away from the experience much.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent crashes and freezes reported right from the start, preventing players from progressing. Additionally, users have noted numerous graphics glitches, indicating a lack of thorough testing prior to release.
“Crashes and freezes on me every time I start it. I haven't even been able to get past the boxes... you should try making sure the game works before releasing it.”
“Lots of little graphics glitches.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game primarily stems from the poorly translated notes, which some players find amusing despite the otherwise standard indie horror narrative. This comedic element adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay, as players navigate through the limited areas and puzzles.
“The notes are badly translated, which adds a layer of humor to the experience. It's funny in a way that enhances the standard indie horror story, and you'll easily figure out the notes that lead to puzzles since there are very few areas to explore.”
